Collapsible bracket or support



Dec. 4, 1951 BELL, 2,577,399

COLLAPSIBLE BRACKET OR SUPPORT Filed Dec. 24, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET lWITNESSES :25 INVENTOR:

Z/Mim; 4 j Aljredfl. 561/ 9% BY Wm A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 4, 1951 A. B. BELL 2,577,399

COLLAPSIBLE BRACKET OR SUPPORT Filed Dec. 24, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2WITNESSES I N V EN TOR:

Z/M%w4 15mm 5611,

BY WW A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 4, 1951 -UENI'T'ED "STA-res ear-em OFFICE .AlfredB. Bell,

Philadelphia, Pa.

'6Claims. a This invention has general reference to collapsildle devicesor supports for fold-down shelves,

seats, "and for other similar application; while it"rl'a'teym'oreparticularly to the -species-or form o'i such-devices including meansfor maintaining the same in extended -'or supporting position.

"The prim'ary objeet-of my' invention is 'to provide what I preferablyterm aself-aligning multiknuckle cdll'apsible bracket or support forgeneral use, or "where it is desirable to mount a 'foldaldle shelf*orseat more particularly.

iAnother objector my invention is to provide "a novelcdllapsible-bracket-or support'of the'type stat-ed in the precedingparagraph fincluding improved catch means'=efiective to automatically-secure said bracket or support inactive position.

-A "further object 'is #30 provide a collapsible bracket or =-supportof*the species indicated in the two preceding paragraphs embodyingstructural refinements that "greatly enhance its utility,

strength and durability. 7

Other objects, features and ancillary advantages "of -my invention willbe hereinafter set forth in-the descriptionof the accompanying'twosheets of illustrative drawings forming a part hereo'f, and in whichlikereference characters designate the-same or corresponding "par-ts in an"the views.

In the drawings:

"Fig. 1 is aside elevation-of a typical embodiment'o'f my improvedcollapsible brackt-for'the suppor 't'of a she'lfor seat as viewed'whenin'collapsed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation but showing the shelf -'or seat "in activeposition.

Fi-gf-3 is amend elevation taken as 'indicated by the angled arrow-sII-I'-III*in -Fig.2; and,

Fig.4 is an exploded perspective view-f the main components of myimproved self-aligning 'four-knucklecollapsiblebracket or support.

In'=desc-ribing the form of my invention exempli'fled by the drawings'-'herewith, specified terms "will beemfiloyed for the sake ofclarityjbut it is to be understood the scope of said invention is notthereby limited; "each suchterm being intended to'embrace all"equivalents whichperform the-same function'for an analogous purpose.

*Rc'ferring more in detail "to the drawings my improved self-aligning-collapsible bracket or supper-t as s'howngcomprises four maincomponents comprehensively designated 5, 6, l and 8, see

a Fig. 4'tothe'best 'advantage. "Of'these-components those "marked-"hand6 will be hereinafter respectively termed-the wall-"attaching andshelfor seat supporting elements; whereas the other elements 1 and 8 willbesimilarly distinguished as the lowerand upper brace components. The

elements 5, 6, 1 and .8 it'istobe particularly'noted are all'ofaform-adapted for economical producfi tion from metal or other sheetmaterial,which materially reduces the cost 'o'f'manufacture. "Morespecifically the'wall or otherwise attachable element'5 convenientlyalthough not essentially embodies a main "portion *9,rincluding arelatively 31'0 stepped upper part H) with :an \offset knuckle section"I I while the lower partris formed 1110 in- :clude a medial :extensiontongue l2 having inclinedly relatedflanking knuckles P3, l3; whereas 1 4designate spaced holes :for rigid mounting of '1 said element 5:to'a'stationarymember orwall 1'5 as by screws 16, Figs. "'1 and-.2, forexampleionly.

"I'heshelf or seat supporting element '6 comprisesiaiiiatbo'dyportion'li'with spaced knuckles 1 8 at one end, and relatively inclined similarknuckles I 9 at the other 'endwithian intervening tongue 2fl and holes2] for passage of suitable :means such as screws 22 for securing saidshelf or seat element 23 thereto. As bestappreciated fromtFig. 2 theex'tensiontongues l2 and 20 are 25 highlyimportantioradded security, atthe points :o'f heavieststrain, in that said tongues extend thelongitudinal base 50f attachment and serve as securing means beyond andintermediately related to thescrews f6, 22% readilyunderstoodbyfthoseconversant with'the art. In-other'words t'hetongues 12,26function as rigid anchorages outwardly relative to the hinge axes of therespectively adjacent knuckles l3 and I9, which substantially increasesthe security factor'of the brac' ketor support as awhole. It is alsoto'be 'noted, atthis juncture, that the shelf or seat lement'23 may haveits edge adjoining the wall ZI-E -arcuately rounded at 2'4 "for pivotalmove- =ment relative "to a superjacent stationary cover 40 mtil'd-ing'fi appropriately fixed to said wall 15.

-li'lso "the stepped upper part H! of the Wall attacliing element 5 may"include a filler member 26 conveniently heldin placeby screws 21 passedthroughthe'holes M in the-element-5 aforesaid. clbviously, the knucklesH, [8 may be arranged in'a common vertical plane with respect to theknuckles 13, 28 and the wall plate 5 made without the stepped part 10;in which case the Wall and shelf components are made of equal length, sothat this 'form is self-aligning and reversible. rReferring now to thebrace elements 1, 8, the lower element'i is provided with opposed single-'-knuckles 28, '29 at the respective ends, spaced "elongated slots 36,a medially located shorter slot 3|. and a central hole '32 proximate theknuckle 28; whereas the other or upper brace element 8 embodies an upperknuckle 33, and spaced lower knuckles 34 with a partially interveningoutset or pad 35, as well as spaced slots 36 corresponding to the slots30 aforesaid.

In order to retain the brace elements I, 8 in extended alignment Ipreferably make use of the following means; said means comprising acatch device embodying a button-head 31 with a base 38 defining anintervening groove or neck and a shank 39 for slidable movement in theslot 3| of the element 1. To the inner or free end of the shank 39 Irigidly attach a grooved spool or sheave 4H and it is to be noted thecombined head 31 and sheave 45 are jointly capable of pivotal, as wellas sliding movement in the slot 3L, Co-

active with the sheave 40, by aid of an indent 4| Y secured in thecentral hole 32 of the lower brace element 1, as readily understood onan examination of Figs. 1-3 inclusive. Thus it will be understood thatthe catch member button-head 31 is normally influenced outwards relativeto the brace element 1 so that, when the parts I, 8 are pushed intoplanar alignment the slightly inclined tip 45 of the pad 35, on theupper brace element '8, will automatically snap intermediate the catchbutton-head 3'! and the base 38 of the latter. In other words as theparts I, 8 are moved into related extension, see Fig. 2, the inclinedtip 45 of the pad 35 smoothly rides over the surface of the button-head31 in opposition to the spring 42, by aid of the indent 4|, and isautomatically snapped into latching position immediately the outer edgeof said tip 45 passes over the confronting edge of said button-head3l.The various hinge pins for the several elements 5-8 inclusive are eachdesignated 46.

Having outlined the structural features of my improved multiple orfour-knuckle collapsible bracket support it will be readily understoodthe same is readily attached to the shelf or seat 23, as well as to thewall [5, by passing a screw-driver through the slots 36, 3B formanipulation of the respective screws 21, I6 and 22. It will also beobvious that to let down the shelf or seat 23, into the collapsedposition of Fig. 1, all that is needful is to release the catchbutton-head 31 from coaction with the pad tip 45, in an obvious manner.

Incidental to the inherent stability of my improved bracket or supportit is, obviously usable as a single unit attachment whereas, heretofore,two such units were needed in connection with long shelves or tableflaps. Furthermore, by use of one of my units in the center of a longshelf or table flap with two ordinary hinges at the ends thereof, inalignment with the knuckle I 8, said shelf or flap will be rigidlysupported. In addition the bracket or support disclosed is extremelyuseful for installing saddle seats in automobiles, at the back of thefront seat, each such saddle seat needing but one of my improvedvbrackets or supports to adequately stabilize said seat and therebyafford comfortable riding for a child placed thereon.

Fromthe foregoing it is felt the merits and advantages of my inventionwill be clearly understood, and While I have shown and described a'preferred construction, the same is by way of illustration only and Iconsider as my own all such modifications as fairly come within thescope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A self-aligning collapsible bracket comprising inter-connectedknuckle-jointed consecutive components, :an adjoining pair of whichrespectively serve as the attaching element and as the support for afold-down shelf or seat, and the other pair of said components jointlyconstituting the brace therefor; a retractable spring biased slidingcatch carried by one of the last mentioned components and operative toengage an outset projection from the other of said components to rigidlyinterlock them when in aligned extension; and means effective to coverthe knuckle joint articulating the first mentioned adjoining pair of thebracket components.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the lower brace component consistsof a sheet metal element embodying a medially located knuckle at eachend respectively for operative coaction with the registerable knucklesof the bracket attaching element and the associated upper bracecomponent; wherein said lower brace component includes laterally-spaced,and medially-located slots respectively of greater and lesser length;

and wherein said lower component further includes a centrally locatedhole proximate one of its knuckles for seeurement therein of a suitablespring anchorage.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the upper brace component consistsof a sheet metal element embodying a medially located knuckle at one endfor operative coaction with the relatively-inclined spaced knuckles ofthe seat or shelf supporting component; knuckles at the other end of thebrace component aforesaid similarly coact with the registerable knuckleof the lower brace component; and wherein said upper brace componentincludes laterally spaced slots with a partially intervening pad ortongue having its tip adapted for snap engagement with the bracket bracecatch means.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the catch means comprise a shankhaving a button-head at one end and a spaced base defining therewith anintervening neck; wherein a grooved sheave is rigidly attached to theshank end; wherein a suitable spring in compression attached to thelower brace component includes an indent, seating in the neck of theheaded-member, normally forces the catch meansinto snap engagement withthe tip of an extension tongue on the upper brace component whereby thebracket brace as a whole is maintained rigid when in activeposiprojection on the other braced component ex-- tending beyond theknuckle joint which connects the two components, and a circumferentiallygrooved enlargement at the opposite end of the shank; and wherein thebiasing spring is in the form of a wire loop having indentations atdiametrically opposite points, one to engage within the circumferentialgroove of the enlargement on the stud shank, and the other to engage afixed anchorage stud on the first mentioned brace component in linewith, but spaced from the guide slot aforesaid.

' 6. A collapsible brace bracket for a fold down shelf or seat hingedlyconnected to an upright surface, said bracket comprising a pair ofknuckle jointed components whereof the distal wherein spaced 5 ends arepivotally connected to the shelf or seat and to the wall surfacerespectively beyond the hinge axis; a stop extension projecting from oneof the components beyond the knuckle joint into engagement with one sideof the other component to determine alignment of the two components whenextended; and a retractable spring biased slide catch constrained tomovement longitudinally of the last mentioned component and adapted toengage over the stop extension of the first mentioned component as andfor the purpose described.

ALFRED B. BELL.

6 V REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 372,215 Gage Oct. 25, 1887408,967 Garretson Aug. 13, 1889 485,589 Ravenel et a1 Nov. 1, 1892772,293 Reese Oct. 11, 1904 1,102,480 Davis July 7, 1914 2,038,143Swanson Apr. 21, 1936 2,069,067 Hoffman Jan. 26, 1937 2,249,403Stollsteimer Jul. 15, 1941

